A24 has unveiled the first full trailer for Primetime, offering a first proper look at Robert Pattinson’s transformation into television journalist Chris Hansen in Lance Oppenheim’s fact-inspired drama about one of America’s most controversial media phenomena. The film is set to premiere in competition at the Venice International Film Festival before arriving in theatres on September 25.

Set in 2006, Primetime chronicles the meteoric rise of Hansen and NBC’s To Catch a Predator, the hidden-camera investigation series that blurred the line between public service journalism and primetime entertainment. The trailer follows Hansen as he becomes increasingly consumed by the ambition to make television history, even as the show’s explosive popularity raises difficult questions about spectacle, ethics and the human cost of turning criminal investigations into appointment viewing.

The film also stars Merritt Wever, Skyler Gisondo, Matthew Maher, Bokeem Woodbine and musician Phoebe Bridgers, who makes her dramatic feature acting debut. The screenplay comes from newcomer Ajon Singh and draws inspiration from Luke Dittrich’s acclaimed 2007 Esquire article examining the real-life events surrounding To Catch a Predator and its cultural impact.

Primetime marks a significant shift for Oppenheim, whose acclaimed documentaries Some Kind of Heaven, Spermworld and HBO’s Ren Faire established him as one of American nonfiction cinema’s most distinctive voices. The film serves as his first narrative feature, bringing his fascination with media and modern American mythology into fictional filmmaking.

Pattinson also serves as a producer on the project alongside Ari Aster, Fred Berger, Lars Knudsen and Brian Kavanaugh-Jones. The actor continues one of the busiest stretches of his career, following recent appearances in The Drama, Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey and Denis Villeneuve’s upcoming Dune: Part Three.

Published - August 07, 2026 11:28 am IST